Category: A Rock and a Roll

Vandoliers – Life Behind Bars

Five albums in, the first on Thirty Tiger Records, Vandoliers have refined their country cowpunk swagger to festival ready perfection. Highlights abound here including the mariachi tinged “Valencia,” “You Can’t Party With The Lights On” with an assist from Joshua Jay Walker,, and “Bible Belt,” one of two overtly political songs on this set, laments on the trials of being different in the conservative South.

The band, as raucous as ever following lead singer Jenni Rose coming out as trans, have released their most socially aware, and likely their best album at just the right time.

The Gripweeds – Soul Bender

The Gripweeds Soul Bender, the latest blast from the past courtesy of New Jersey based brothers Rick and Kurt Reil, sail on a ship with The Beatles, early Who, and Buffalo Springfield.

Leaning into power pop, garage rock, and pop-psych, the opener “Gene Clark (Broken Wing” is an overt homage to the Byrds maestro, “Wake Up Time” would have fit in quite nicely on any of the pre-Tommy Who albums, and “Soul Bender” has the energetic vibe of a British invasion classic.

Moving the sound forward while keeping true to the spirit of the classics, Soul Bender is a multi-layered classic that warrants several trips around the sun on your turntable for maximum enjoyment.

Ryle – Come And Get Me

Alice Cooper – The Revenge of Alice Cooper

Given that this is his first record since the tepid Muscle of Love in 1973 with the original Alice Cooper Band, Alice Cooper, Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neil Smith, it is no surprise that the record marks a return to the Billion Dollar Babies and School’s Out era. Filling in for Glen Buxton on guitar is glamster Gyasi Heus with the Doors Robbie Krieger adding some guitar work on “Black Mamba.”

A nostalgic walk down shock rock lane, this one is very much harkening back to the ’70s when riff-heavy unapologetic rock was the order of the day.

“What Happened To You”’ would have been a terrific Chuck Berry B-Side, “What A Syd,” a tribute to Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett, would have slid in quite nicely on the Lace and Whiskey album, and “Blood On the Sun,” the requisite semi-ballad, may be the best song of the lot.

A far better listen than it has any right to be, Alice has produced a record that stands up favorably with his best work.

Paul Weller – Find El Dorado

Anytime there is a new Paul Weller record to savor, there is cause for celebration. This time out, his latest since 2024’s 64, Weller takes on 15 carefully curated songs from other artists that map out The Modfather’e personal musical journey from Jam and Style Council frontman to rock icon.

Bravely taking on the Bee Gees “I Started A Joke” and absolutely killing the Bobby Charles classic “Small Town Talk” Weller keeps the train on the tracks, most notably on Clive’s Song with an assist from Robert Plant on vocals and harmonica.

Pulling off this passion project in fine fashion, Paul Weller once again proves that he is a Bational treasure and one of the more underrated artists of our time.

The Lancasters – The Word of the Mistral

These Italian blokes spin a 60’s early 70’s platter of psychedelic freak-out hippie music with a side of garage rock to keep things semi up to date.

“Rules of the Road” could have made an appearance on any early who album, “Girl In The Sun” is a sparking Donovan inspired end piece, and “Stone of Whims” should have been on Spinal Tap II.

This is a keeper for those of a certain age.